Maytag Refrigerator PTB1553DRW compressor won't come on after power failure but then eventually does??

[murphysf]

Model Number

PTB1553DRW

Brand

Maytag

Age

More than 10 years

Hi

I have a PTB1553DRW fridge. Its about 20 years old.

About a month ago there was a power failure for a few days and and when the power came back on the refrigerator powered back up however it never got cold, the compressor never kicked on. There was power to the unit and the interior light was on and I could here the small fan spinning in the inside back of the refrigerator.

I unplugged it from the wall and tried to plug it back in and also turned the right control knob all the way down to the off position ( can hear a small click), then turned it back up etc. After about 20 minutes of plugging and unplugging and turning the control down and off it all of a sudden started working. Its been find since.


Now about a month later there was another power failure again and same thing, compressor won't come on. Did the same thing, unplugged and plugged back in waited about 5 minutes in between and also turned the knob down to off for a while etc. After about 20 minutes I gave up and walked away. About 30 minutes or so later the compressor came on.

So not sure what is going on here?

Can someone please explain what is happening?


Is there a timer in the controls that needs some time to reset or re establish itself?

Part of my want to just replace the refrigerator but if I can understand if there is a proper way to recover it quicker that might convince me to keep it.

 

[rickgburton]

and also turned the right control knob all the way down to the off position

and also turned the knob down to off for a while

The compressor won't run if the control is in the off position. Turn it to the coldest position then measure the voltage at the compressor. If the voltage is 0V check the cold control for continuity. If the voltage is 120 VAC and the compressor is not running, most likely the overload tripped. The overload will trip if the power went out then came right back on or if there was a voltage spike when it came back on. It then takes a few minutes for the overload to close again. They also wear out. If you need the cold control it's still available. However the relay and overload was discontinued. If you need the overload and/or relay, Take a few pictures of yours and I'll try to match it.

Whirlpool 61005789 Control Assy., Temperature (AP4071531) - AppliancePartsPros.com

Control assy., temperature 61005789 / AP4071531 made by Whirlpool

click.linksynergy.com

 

[murphysf]

Rick - Thanks for the message. I understand that the compressor wouldn't come in the off position. I just thought that leaving it in the off position might reset some time or cycle or timer.

Its ironic that both times after power was restored after a power failure that the unit would not come back on , it was a good day or two each time as I was away . Both times it didn't recover until I messed with it and even then it took a while.

Could it be a worn compressor start relay?
WP10097202 Relay, Start


Next time it fails I will take some measurements.

or a Compressor Overload protector
Overload WP4344040


I have a funny feeling the relay is ok as once it gets going it runs and cycles on and off fine, it was just after the power failures it would not recover. So as you mentioned the overload will trip if the power spikes, etc, so I have a feeling this is the issue and the part is worn.

 

[rickgburton]

If the overload in your last post is the same one that's on there now, it makes a distinctive "click when it opens and closes. Check the cold control for continuity. While holding the meter leads on the two terminals, turn the knob back and forth from coldest to off. On OFF there shouldn't be any continuity Everywhere else your meter should show "0" (continuity} and constant. It shouldn't bounce around. Measure the compressor windings. Here's how:

The overload should show less than 1Ω front to back. The relay should show 3 - 23 ohms. Here's how you check the relay and overload:

 

[murphysf]

I'm happy to troubleshoot the issue next time it fails, but the challenge is that the fridge is in an apartment rental unit so I can't play around that much with it as the rental is tenant occupied.

Whatever is going in happened twice in the last 2 months both times recovering from a power outage. I have a feeling the cold control is fine. It seems like the part that could have taken a beating from the power failures is the overload protector. This is also the part that might have a hard time recovering.

Does it make sense that I just change the overload protector now?

 

[murphysf]

FYI - I am the original owner the of the refrigerator and so far it has never been repaired so all the parts are original.

the model number is

PTB1553DRW

what is the best source to confirm the parts list and part numbers?

 

[murphysf]

anyone know where i can find the schematic for the PTB1553DRW?

 

[rickgburton]

Whirlpool WP10097202 Relay, Start (AP6005191) - AppliancePartsPros.com

Relay, start WP10097202 / AP6005191 made by Whirlpool

click.linksynergy.com

Whirlpool WP4344040 Overload (AP6009230) - AppliancePartsPros.com

Overload WP4344040 / AP6009230 made by Whirlpool

click.linksynergy.com

The wiring diagram is on page 20 of the parts list:

 

[murphysf]

Hi

Thank you for the parts list and the schematic.

I noticed that there are two different relays as well as two different overloads depending on the series of the unit. There is a series 10 and 12.


How do I know what series this unit is?

Attached is an image of the id label

 

[murphysf]

The two times the compressor failed to turn on I noticed I could hear the faint sound of the fan from the back of the inside of the fridge. I guess this was the Evap Fan. The parts list calls it the Evap fan and the schematic calls it the Freezer Fan.

By looking at the schematic the only way this fan gets power and return is if the temperature control and defrost timer are working correctly. So this rules out the temperature control and defrost timer.

Still need to determine the series of my unit to identify the correct overload and relay.

 

[rickgburton]

The parts in my last post are the correct parts for your machine.

 

[murphysf]

The parts in your post cross reference to the Series 10 of the fridge

How can the series 10 overload and relay work in the Series 12? The relay looks very different in the photos. Not sure what the overload looks like.

 

[murphysf]

Looking at the schematic - I have a question.

If the freezer fan is on it looks like the compressor fan should be on too. Is this true? They both come on and off together?

 

[rickgburton]

Don't worry about series number. It just means it's a different style. The ones I posted in post #8 will work.

They both come on and off together?

Correct.

 

[murphysf]

thanks,

would there ever be a case where the freezer fan is on and the compressor is off.

that is what I noticed. Both times the compressor wouldn't turn on the freezer fan was on.

 

[rickgburton]

would there ever be a case where the freezer fan is on and the compressor is off.

No

 

[murphysf]

Hi

I have two questions that are not related to the above thread but are for the same model.

I understand the defrost timer is 8 hours, so it goes into defrost mode every 8 hours. My question is how long does it stay in defrost mode?

A separate question: The freezer knob control, the left of the two knobs in the fridge section. I don't see it on the schematic / wiring diagram? How does it work?

 

[rickgburton]

My question is how long does it stay in defrost mode?

About 20 minutes.

I don't see it on the schematic

It's mechanical and operates a rod to open and close a damper.